Melons

[borage]

I had a lovely healthy melon plant and suddenly the leaves have started to dry and shrivel up. It is indoors at the moment on a reasonably sunny window sill. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[welsh veg grower]

Maybe its got too hot or in direct sun light !!!! Maybe they need potting on they dont seem to like getting too dry. Mine have been very slow commng this year in the poly tunnel if that helps

[borage]

I've moved the plant away from the window and will see what happens, if it is too much sun I will have to shade the cold frame it will be going into.

[supersam]

Severe melon problems

Hi all, as you can tell from the title im in trouble! Started 3 melons off in peat pots indoors. They came up really well so at about 3 " and 2 leaves and very warm weather (about 2 weeks ago) I put them into gro bags in my plastic greenhouse. All was well at first then it got cold so i lit the heater. Temperature seemed to fluctuate a bit and also got quite a bit of condensation. They are now pretty dead, ceased, they are no more!! I am going to start some more off indoors but can any tell me what was the culprit or was it a bit of everything?
They are in the green house along with peppers and toms......the toms are looking pretty rough now too.
All adviced glady recieved and digested

Sam x

[valmarg]

supersam, melons are the same family as cucumbers. Cucumbers are notorious for suffering from neck rot, ie the plant looks perfectly healthy, then all of a sudden it starts to wilt. On close examination the 'neck' of the plant at soil level has rotted. This may be what has happened to your melons.

With regard to your tomatoes, they may just need feeding.

valmarg

[SarzWix]

If it is a parafin heater, you also need to ventilate as the fumes build up & the plants suffer..

[Alice]

I would love to try some melons (next year ?????) Valmarg, I know what you are saying about neck rot, but I have lost 2 cucumbers, on examination necks are fine but cucumbers are dead. Other curcubits around them are fine. Mystery. Good job I overplanted to allow for.

[valmarg]

Alice, we thought we have overplanted, but from 12 cucumber plants, we are down to one. I think neck rot is the culprit in our case.

I buy the seed, OH has the job of growing it. So far as I can see, he has done nothing different from last year, when we had a fantastic crop.

Ah well, one of life's mysteries/irritations!!

Back to the drawing board, and sown some more seed.

valmarg